Chimney housing



May 14, 1963 G. E. PAIEMENT CHIMNEY HOUSING Filed Sept. 20, 1960 I I 2 EE N w z i L z? V wfimiib 3 3* g I a:

mu I

I NVENTOR BY $0 2; zf/ az'emeza:

ATTORNEY Patented May 14, 1963 3,089,521 CHIMNEY HOUSING Georges E. Paiement, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignor, by mesne assignments, to The Flintkote Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Sept. 20, 1960, Ser. No. 57,323 3 Claims. (Cl. 138-458) This invention relates to a chimney housing, suitable for use with various types of chimneys, flues, or vent pipes extending above the roof of a house or other structure.

The chimney housing of the invention is intended particularly for use as a housing for chimneys assembled on the job from pre-fabricated members or flue sections connected to heating plants or incinerators of homes, motels, farm buildings, and like structures.

So-called pro-fabricated chimneys which have come into use in recent years comprise generally cylindrical flue section-s composed of an inner lining of fire clay tile (approximately one-half to five-eighths of an inch thick) over which is applied an insulating body of vermiculite or similar concrete, say 3 inches thick, and an outer jacket of asbestos cement or metal.

Housings for such pre-fabricated chimneys have heretofore taken the form of assemblies of asbestos cement or aluminum panels whose exterior surfaces are embossed and colored or otherwise demarked to simulate the appearance of rows of brick or the like, so as to match or harmonize with the brick walls of the house or other structure on which the chimney is installed.

Housings for such chimneys have also been assembled from panels of metal, such as aluminum, suitably formed for interlocking engagement at the edges thereof constituting the vertical corners of the housing. The corner interlocking of the panels has usually taken the form of a lock seam joint. Although such lock seam joints adequately serve their intended purposes when formed on thevedges of plain panels, it has been found that they necessarily and unavoidably cause distortion of the panels in those instances where it is necessary or desirable that the panels be suitably embossed to present an appearance simulating or resembling that of laid rows of brick or the like with intervening mortar joints. This distortion, which is created by the embossed areas extending horizontally of the panels to the edges thereof, prevents these edges from being formed into an acceptable lock seam. The distortion of the panels also leaves openings at the corner-s of the assembled housing which form avenues for access of rain into the interior of the chimney housing, unless protected therefrom.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a chimney housing that may readily be assembled on the job from pre-formed panels embossed to simulate the appearance of rows of brick or the like laid with horizontal and vertical mortar joints, and which will provide a positive locking together of the adjoining panels at each corner of the assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chimney housing of the character set forth, which will provide a Weatherproof chimney housing when assembled from such pre-formed panels, and which will provide stability and strength against inward pressure at the interconnections between the panels.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a chimney housing of the character indicated, and so constructed as not to detract from the desired external appearance of the assembled housing.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood from the detailed description below, and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view, in perspective, illustrating a chimney housing constructed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, as it appears installed on a roof;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal cross-section, partly broken away, through the chimney housing, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, in perspective, illustrating the manner of assembling the panels composing the chimney housing of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view.

According to the invention, the chimney housing is composed of two pairs of panels, the panels of each pair being reversible end over end. The panels of one of the pairs are constructed to provide receiving keyways along each of two opposite edges thereof, these keyways extending the full length of, and being parallel to these marginal edges and to one another. Each of the panels of the other pair is constructed to provide an extension and a flange along each of two opposite edges thereof, these extensions and flanges being disposed so as to be receivable by the keyways formed along the margins of the first-named pair of panels.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the panels are composed of metal, the aforementioned keyways on the panels of the first-named pair are formed on a separate, relatively narrow strip of material aifixed along each of two opposite margins of the panel and formed to provide an inwardly opening U-shaped channel along those opposite edges at each vertical corner of the assembled housing, and an outwardly opening U-shaped channel spaced inwardly from those edges. Each of the panels of the second-named pair has a separate, relatively narrow, rectangularly bent, strip of material aflixed along one leg thereof adjacent each of two opposite edges of the panel at a distance from such edges corresponding substantially to the lateral depth of the inwardly facing keyways formed on the panels of the first-named pair. The angularly extending leg of the strips aflixed to the panels of the second-named pair terminates in a flange disposed in a plane substantially parallel to that of the panel and having a transverse dimension corresponding substantially to the lateral depth of the outwardly facing keyways on the panels of the first-named pair.

By means of this construction, the chimney housing of the invention may readily be assembled on the job by sliding each of the panels of the second-named pair endwise with respect to the panels of the first-named pair so that the extensions and flanges at opposite margins of the panels of the second-named pair 'are received within the respective inwardly and outwardly facing keyways on the panels of the first-named pair at each corner of the assembly. As will be understood, the cross-sectional thickness of the panels and of the aforesaid flanges car ried by the panels of the second-named pair will 'be such 3 in relation to the cross-sectional dimension of the keyways as to provide a snug fit therebetween.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, numeral indicates generally a flue or chimney such as may be provided by superposed pre-fabricated flue sections 11. The chimney is suitably supported or suspended in the interior of the house or other structure in any desired manner (not shown). The flue sections are cemented to one another at the joints therebetween, and a suitable drawband or collar 12 is attached over the cemented joints. The upper end of the chimney 10 extends upwardly above the roof, indicated by numeral 15, of the house or other structure. In accordance with customary practise, the chimney extends up from the roof for a distance of two feet, more or less, above the ridge of the roof.

As will be understood, the chimney as thus constructed and installed would ordinarily present an unsightly appearance.

In order to avoid such unsightly appearance, and also to protect the chimney, it is customary to provide a housing suitable ornamented on its exposed surfaces to harmonize with the architecture of the house or other structure.

The chimney housing of the invention is indicated generally by numeral 20. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the exterior surface of the housing presents the appearance of a brick chimney.

The chimney housing is composed of four relatively elongated panels 21, 22, 23 and 24, each preferably composed of sheet metal, desirably aluminum, and embossed with a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending lines 27 and intervening transversely extending lines 28 suitably spaced from one another, so as to simulate the appearance of brick and mortar joints of a brick wall, the exterior surface of the panels being coated or otherwise colored like brick.

For convenience of description, panels 21 and 23 may be considered as one pair, and panels 22 and 24 as a second pair.

The pair of panels 21, 23, may each conveniently be of a transverse dimension of approximately inches, while the other pair of panels 22, 24, may each conveniently be of a transverse dimension approximately 14 inches. Each of the panels is of a suitable length to accommodate the vertical dimension of the portion of the chimney extending above the roof 15. In actual practise, as will be understood, the lower end of the panels may need to be cut on the job for the correct vertical dimension and for the pitch of the roof.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the panel 21 has relatively narrow locking strips 31, 41, secured along its opposite sides, and the panel 23 has similar locking strips 33, 43, secured along its opposite sides. The locking strips may be affixed to the panels in any convenient manner, such as by spot-welding indicated at 35.

The locking strips 31, 41 and 33, 43, are formed with U-shaped bends, 51, 61 and 53, 63, respectively, disposed along one longitudinal edge thereof at a right angle with respect to the plane of the central portions 36 of the strips, and with reverse U-shaped bends 71, 81, and 73, 83, respectively, similarly disposed at the opposite longitudinal edge thereof, but extending in a direction opposite to the respective bends 51, 61 and 53, 63. Thus, the U-shaped bends 51, 61 and 53, 63 form channels of U-shaped cross-section opening outwardly with respect to the interior of the housing assembled from the panels, and the U-shaped bends 71, 81 and 73, 83 form channels of U-shaped cross-section opening inwardly toward the interior of the housing assembly.

The panel 22 of the second pair of panels has relatively narrow, right-angularly formed, locking strips 32, 42 afiixed adjacent its opposite sides, at a distance from the marginal edges corresponding substantially to the transverse cross-sectional dimension of the U-shaped channels 81, 83. The locking strips may be afllxcd to the panel as by spot-welding 45 along the portions 52. The rightangularly extending portion 62 of each strip 32, 42 terminates in a flange, indicated at 72, 82, respectively. These flanges extend at right angles to the portions 62 and are of a transverse dimension corresponding substantially to the transverse cross-sectional dimension of the channels 61, 63.

The other panel 24 of the second pair similarly has affixed thereto, adjacent its opposite sides, relatively narrow, right-angularly formed locking strips 34, 44, spotwelded as at 55 along the portion 54. The right-angular portions 64 of each strip 34, 44 terminates in a flange, indicated at 74, 84, respectively, extending at a right angle to the portion 64, and of a transverse dimension corresponding substantially to the transverse cross-sectional dimension of channels 51, 53.

Thus, the flanges 72, 82, and 74, 84 are disposed in planes parallel to the respective panels 22, 24 and extend inwardly toward the interior of the housing assembly, leaving marginal extension 92, 94 at each side of the respective panels 22, 24.

By this construction of the locking strips alfixed to the respective pairs of panels composing the housing, the U-shaped channels 51, 71 and 61, 81 of the panel 21, and the corresponding channels 53, 73, and 63, 83 of the other panel 23 of this pair, serve as keyways to receive the marginal extensions 92, 94 of the other pair of panels 22, 24, while at the same time, the U-shaped channels 51, 61 and 53, 63 serve as keyways to receive the flanges 74, 72 and 84, 82 respectively, of the other pair of panels 22, 24.

Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the housing may be assembled from the two pairs of panels composing the same, by sliding the panels of one pair endwise relative to the panels of the other pair.

The adjoining panels may thus be placed and assembled in proper position around the chimney 10 and assembled either successively or alternately.

When thus assembled, the panels are securely locked to one another at each corner of the housing, and provide Whetherproof joints at the corners without leaving avenues for access of rain into the interior of the housing.

After the chimney housing has been assembled as above described, and fastened to the roof in any convenient manner, a conventional housing cap assembly, indicated generally by numeral 96, may be fastened onto the chimney housing in accordance with customary practise.

What I claim is:

1. A chimney housing, comprising pairs of panels, each of said panels being embossed to present the appearance of rows of brick or the like and intervening mortar joints extending to the lateral edges of the panels, each of the panels of one of said pairs having at each side margin thereof an outwardly opening U-shaped keyway disposed inwardly of the marginal edge and an inwardly opening U-shaped keyway extending along said marginal edge and substantially at a right angle to the plane of the panel, each of the panels of the other of said pairs having a marginal portion to be received in one of said inwardly opening U-shaped keyways and having adjacent each side margin thereof a member extending at a right angle to the plane of said panel and terminating in a flange disposed in a plane parallel to that of said panel, said members being each spaced inwardly of the respective marginal edges, and said flanges extending in a direction away from the respective marginal edges.

2. A chimney housing, comprising pairs of panels, each of said panels being embossed to present the appearance of rows of bricks or the like and intervening mortar joints, each of the panels of one of said pairs having a relatively narrow strip of formed material afiixed at each of its opposite margins, each of said strips terminating in an outwardly open U-shaped keyway disposed inwardly of the marginal edge of the panel and terminating in an inwardly open U-shaped keyway disposed outwardly of said marginal edge of the panel, each of the panels of the other of said pairs having a relatively narrow strip of material afiixed at each of its opposite margins, said last-named strips being each disposed inwardly of the respective marginal edges of said last-named panels and each having a portion extending substantially at a right angle to the plane of the panel, said last-named portions each terminating in an inwardly extending flange disposed in a plane substantially parallel to that of the panel, the margins References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Coulte-rs July 3, 1956 Swett Aug. 12, 1958 

1. A CHIMNEY HOUSING, COMPRISING PAIRS OF PANELS, EACH OF SAID PANELS BEING EMBOSSED TO PRESENT THE APPEARANCE OF ROWS OF BRICK OR THE LIKE AND INTERVENING MORTAR JOINTS EXTENDING TO THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE PANELS, EACH OF THE PANELS OF ONE OF SAID PAIRS HAVING AT EACH SIDE MARGIN THEREOF AN OUTWARDLY OPENING U-SHAPED KEYWAY DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THE MARGINAL EDGE AND AN INWARDLY OPENING U-SHAPED KEYWAY EXTENDING ALONG SAID MARGINAL EDGE AND SUBSTANTIALLY AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF THE PANEL, EACH OF THE PANELS OF THE OTHER OF SAID PAIRS HAVING A MARGINAL PORTION TO BE RECEIVED IN OEN OF SAID INWARDLY OPENING U-SHAPED KEYWAYS AND HAVING ADJACENT EACH SIDE MARGIN THEREOF A MEMBER EXTENDING AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE PLANE OF SAID PANEL AND TERMINATING IN A FLANGE DISPOSED IN A PLANE PARALLEL TO THAT OF SAID PANEL, SAID MEMBERS BEING EACH SPACED INWARDLY OF THE RESPECTIVE MARGINAL EDGES, AND SAID FLANGES EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM THE RESPECTIVE MARGINAL EDGES. 